Episode 42 It's Not Expense. It's Investment
In October 2017, Microsoft US Subsidiary hosted the first Digital Transformation Academy (DTA) in Vegas. It is a training, workshop, and networking event for all sales and marketing professionals. It is also the first big conference I have attended in Microsoft, when I really get to know about the company on a larger scale.
I want to share two stories from DTA.
After we arrived at the hotel, I lined up in the check-in line in front of the hotel with my manager. When I first realized Microsoft flies 5000 employees and partners down to Vegas for a week-long conference, especially after I saw the price of hotel room per night when checking in, I was very shocked. It is A LOT OF EXPENSE.
I want to share two stories from DTA.
~ Story One ~
I chatted with my friend, "Wow the way this company spends money is mind blowing..." I even doubted whether it's a right way to spend the profits - should we do things more relevant to customers?
I was until the end of the first day, I realized why.
It's not an expense. It is an investment in people. The investment is based on a deep trust. The trust that our employees are talented, work hard and have good intention. A belief that employees will use all that they get to generate more, that as long as Microsoft takes good care of employees, employees will take care of the business. And that's really powerful.
I asked my manager, this is my first big conference in Microsoft; what suggestions do you have for me? He said, "Learn, have fun, don't work on your laptop." And from that moment on, I know I will do all I can to make Microsoft's investment in me worth it. Throughout the three day conference, I took 26 pages of notes and networked with people from five different functions. I feel so inspired, so empowered, and ready to contribute to the mission of this great company.
My manager is a perfect example of empowering employees. And imagine hundreds and thousands of managers are just like him, the future of the company is unimaginable.
In the core note speech on the first day, one thing that really stuck with me. The theme of the conference is Digital Transformation. Our new US Sub president Kate Johnson said, "Digital transformation is not easy. It takes data acquisition, automation, and new jobs. We are helping our customers doing it, and we are doing it ourselves as well." Then, she asked, "Please stand up if your role has changed in the past one year."
More than 80%, which is over 4000 people, in this gigantic stadium, stood up together. It was such a powerful scene. It is such an unbelievable achievement. We run a transformation on ourselves before we help our customers doing that; We went through the biggest re-org in Microsoft's history; AND we beat the wall streets expectation on earnings; AND our stock got to historical high.
People on my left and right, are all so joyfully surprised, empowered, and wearing a proud face. We have done this together. What other challenges we can't overcome?
It's not an expense. It is an investment in people. The investment is based on a deep trust. The trust that our employees are talented, work hard and have good intention. A belief that employees will use all that they get to generate more, that as long as Microsoft takes good care of employees, employees will take care of the business. And that's really powerful.
I asked my manager, this is my first big conference in Microsoft; what suggestions do you have for me? He said, "Learn, have fun, don't work on your laptop." And from that moment on, I know I will do all I can to make Microsoft's investment in me worth it. Throughout the three day conference, I took 26 pages of notes and networked with people from five different functions. I feel so inspired, so empowered, and ready to contribute to the mission of this great company.
My manager is a perfect example of empowering employees. And imagine hundreds and thousands of managers are just like him, the future of the company is unimaginable.
~ Story Two ~
More than 80%, which is over 4000 people, in this gigantic stadium, stood up together. It was such a powerful scene. It is such an unbelievable achievement. We run a transformation on ourselves before we help our customers doing that; We went through the biggest re-org in Microsoft's history; AND we beat the wall streets expectation on earnings; AND our stock got to historical high.
People on my left and right, are all so joyfully surprised, empowered, and wearing a proud face. We have done this together. What other challenges we can't overcome?
That's an awesome feeling isn't it . My first conference I attended was way back in 2011 at Seattle Washington convention center for techready and was amazed to see how people are impacting millions of customers to make them happy day in day out .
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